Fall of the Devil Overlord
by Crow's Gamble
Summary: Devil Survivor. Four years after the end of the Lockdown, everything has changed. The world has become divided into those that support the new Overlord and those that oppose him. When chaos is reigning Earth, will YHWH or Kazuya be the first to fall?
1. The Almighty Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor. I write solely for my own enjoyment. The manga gives the main character the name Kazuya Minegishi which I decided to use rather than my alias; it feels less like a self-insertion that way. I am not making any money from writing this, so if you like this story, do me a favor and show me love!

* * *

**Prologue**

**Humanity, armed with demons and supervised by angels, was subjected to a trial. Most commonly known as the "Tokyo Lockdown," the people inside the Yamanote Line were forced to endure a demon invasion for seven days until the war of Bel, a contest normally reserved for demons of immense power, concluded with a surprising outcome. The throne had been conquered by a mere human, a reincarnation of humanity's first martyr, Abel. Deviously guided by his older brother Cain and supported by a group of Demon Tamers, Abel seized power and became the Demon Overlord of Earth. Enraged with the trials that had been so unjustly imposed, Abel rallied the demons together under his command and waged war against the Heavenly Host and His angels. Humanity united as well to avoid being dragged in the middle of this supernatural conflict, and after a year of fruitless fighting, God withdrew His troops, leaving humanity's fate in the hands of the Overlord. It has now been four years since the king first ascended to power…**

-X-

**Chapter 1: The Almighty Darkness**

Dressed to impress, a man casually strolled through the streets of Tokyo. Though chaos had slowly reverted to a semblance of peace, the streets were still avoided like the plague. Cars remained overturned, scratched and bitten and subjected to all varieties of unholy magic simply for the amusement of the monsters that now controlled this world. Demons frequently roamed the manmade roads, and though they were under strict orders to not harm any civilians, humans were a fearful lot who doubted the sincerity of the very king that now protected them. The man looked up at the sky wistfully as a breeze blew against his face; another beautiful day in the abandoned streets of Japan's most populated city.

The man walked through Miyashita Park as he headed towards his destination, the King's Gate, which would connect him to the Tower of Babel. Upon defeating the demonic power of Bel that resided within the Tower, the Overlord had transformed it into a stronghold, the throne from which he ruled over Earth. Demons resided with him at all times, the numerous servants under his command constantly a malevolent presence for unwelcome visitors. The man chuckled at Kazuya Minegishi's transformation from high school student to the ruler of the entire planet. But perhaps it was not that amusing…he had become rather ruthless as of late, which was why it was necessary to have a meeting in the first place…

"Hey there," the man noticed a stunning looking woman with a short crop of orange hair. Judging by her grey vest with its numerous pouches, she was clearly a member of the SDF, but that was no cause for worry. "Quite a rare sight to see anyone out and about nowadays…especially such a fine lady such as yourself."

The woman eyed him suspiciously, taking in his sharp purple suit, his pierced and somewhat pointy ears, his carefully pressed hair, and confident posture. "It's even rarer to run into a player when there are more important things to worry about."

"What's your name?" The man pressed.

"Listen here, Gigolo, if you think you can pick up any woman you want during this time of crisis, think again," the woman snapped. She felt a tingling sensation throughout her body as the man knelt to his knee and kissed her hand.

"Forgive me, I meant you no offense," Gigolo sighed. "It's just…since the end of the Lockdown, I have not seen a woman of such beauty, and I could not help myself…" The woman blushed and turned her head as the trickster eyed her chest lustfully. _These Japanese women really develop wonderfully…_

"Perhaps I was quick to judge," the woman apologized. "My name is Misaki Izuna."

Gigolo instantly straightened out at this. "Oh, sweet Misaki, would you like to accompany me back to my place?" The woman looked at her phone and shrugged.

"Why not? I'm off the clock."

Gigolo took her arm and decided that his meeting with Kazuya would have to wait. He had needs, and besides, it would just be too entertaining when this seemingly respectable woman discovers that she has been fucked by a demon.

-X-

"Loki…you're late," stated Naoya, the right hand of the Overlord. It wasn't an accusation, nor was it a statement with any malice behind it. It was merely a fact.

Gigolo spun in a circle, shedding his human appearance in favor of his true form. His dark hair became blonde to the point that it was yellow as his slender body contorted, blue wings sprouting from his shoulders as he rose into the air. His tan complexion darkened until he was a sickly bluish green, and his light purple suit was now strictly violet. He resembled a demonic jester as he floated before the esteemed Overlord, his head bowed in respect, though it was impossible to tell how sincere it was.

"My apologies," Loki hovered up to eye level with Kazuya, grinning maniacally, but Kazuya took no notice. He was cloaked in darkness, the comforting smile he originally carried vacant. His blue hair was scrunched together under his white headphones which even now he was listening to, moving his lips silently to the words of an American rap song.

"I wouldn't disturb him right now," Naoya said. "He got impatient waiting and decided to listen to music." Right on cue, Kazuya began making a slashing motion with his index and middle fingers together, his eyes still glued shut.

"Pretty immature Overlord we've got," Loki commented. "He won't be around for long if this is how he conducts himself."

"Don't bet on that," Naoya chuckled. Loki stared closely at Kazuya and felt his mouth drop as, from the darkness, a pair of glorious angelic wings extended behind Kazuya.

"Impossible," Loki gasped. "You mean to tell me…"

"Correct," Naoya affirmed with a glitter in his eye. "The Demon Overlord has successfully added the Voice of God, the angel Metatron, to our ranks."

"Ridiculous!" Loki exclaimed. "To do so would entail possessing the angels Remiel and Kazfiel!" He grew silent as Naoya jammed his thumb towards a nearby room. Peaking in, Loki beheld a gruesome sight.

The maiden of the Shomonkai, Amane Kuzuryu, was shackled to a grimy wall, blood gradually dripping down her wrists as a result of her vain attempts to escape. Her dress was quite tattered, her hair was extremely long and unkempt, and her skin was covered in layers of dirt. Loki stared at Naoya questioningly after noticing a pair of headphones covering Amane's ears.

"Kazuya didn't want Amane to be bored," Naoya smiled ironically. "Seemed to believe that would qualify as a cruel and unusual punishment."

"What a kind Overlord we have," Loki muttered under his breath as he turned away from the disheveled maiden.

"We extracted Remiel just a few days ago," Naoya cupped his hands together pleased. "We had also captured a few Kazfiel's during the war. Thanks to these things, we were able to successfully fuse Metatron."

"You have taken on one of the most powerful forces in the universe at your disposal," Loki said truly impressed. "What do you intend to do from here?"

"**The answer to your question is exactly why you have been summoned here today." **

A cool and calm voice cut through the air like a dagger, charged with energy though emotionless to the very core. Loki felt a deep dread sweep over him as Naoya and he slowly turned towards Kazuya. The Overlord had finally risen to his feet, his headphones now resting comfortably around his neck. As he slowly opened his eyes, the change that had swept over him since the Tokyo Lockdown became even more pronounced. The light of his eyes was gone, devoid of humanity and kindness, leaving only cloudy darkness. His eyebrows were slanted and a cool grin was plastered on his normally expressionless face.

"I can only presume why you would want to talk to lil old me," Loki jested.

"Metatron is powerful," Naoya explained, "but my cute little brother has his eyes set on an even greater ally."

"An even greater ally?" Loki asked disbelievingly. "Is there such a thing?"

"Lucifer."

The Overlord licked his lips as Loki threw his hands up in surrender. "Preposterous! Even for the Demon Overlord, the Almighty Darkness is still beyond your reach!"

"For Demon Tamers, any monster defeated in battle becomes fair game for fusion," Naoya reminded Loki. "Kazuya's Demon Taming days may be behind him, but he did defeat Lucifer, acquiring his fusion data in the process."

"Before he became the Overlord…Kazuya defeated Lucifer?" Loki was hysterical now. It was impossible, but as Kazuya pointed a finger at Loki, he realized with an electrical surge of panic that this was the one being that could successfully accomplish such a ludicrous goal.

"The ingredients for Lucifer are Metatron and you."

"Me?" Loki's heart dropped. "With all due respect, I'd rather not be fodder for another demon."

"My word is absolute. You don't have a choice in the matter." Loki felt his body being tugged towards Kazuya and realized shocked that the Overlord meant to perform the fusion, right then and there.

"No!" Loki screamed, pushing every last bit of his energy into flying away from the Overlord, but it was futile. Metatron was now standing directly in front of Kazuya and as the mysterious force of the king of Bel swept over Loki, he discovered that he was flying straight towards the archangel.

"Naoya! Please, stop this!" He begged. Naoya stood impassively with his arms folded as he watched the scene.

"Relax, Loki. We'll fuse some even stronger demons into you after this. You'll be as good as new. For now, try not to struggle so much." He looked away as Metatron opened his mouth. It grotesquely stretched and wrapped around the struggling Tyrant.

"You can't do this!" Loki screamed at Kazuya from inside the angel's mouth. The Overlord cocked his head curiously as Loki continued to scream. "I helped make you what you are today!"

"The only one who made me what I am today was God," the Overlord whispered cruelly. Loki continued to scream, but he was beyond salvation as Metatron bit down, a white flash of light enveloping the two. Metatron's head jerked back in agony as a pair of long white horns sprouted out. Dyed with Loki's demonic energy, his feathered wings smoothed out and split into three blue wings on each side, while the undersides were red. Metatron's angelic armor began to crack as his hair extended until it was a blond mane. Naoya watched the scene enthralled as Kazuya stepped forth.

"Arise, Lucifer."He swung his fist towards the angel's chipping armor, shattering it with one strike as a naked beast emerged. Lucifer's red eyes flashed as he emerged in all of his unholy glory. Despite the lack of armor, cords of muscle protected him more thoroughly than any physical construct could hope to. Kazuya watched unimpressed as the most powerful force he could possibly acquire rose up before him.

"Great…simply incredible," Naoya said admirably. "We have the Ruler of Hell on our side. With this, we can truly wage war against God now."

"It won't be enough."

"Hmm?"

"The first year that we fought was a test," Kazuya crossed his arms. "If we are truly going to overthrow God, I need the most powerful demons in the history of the world by my side."

"But Lucifer…!"

"Is a good start," Kazuya said firmly. "A very good start, but Lucifer alone is not enough. Perhaps we could defeat many angels with him, but if God enters the fight, there will be no celebration on our end."

"True," Naoya acknowledged. "In that case, I will begin collecting the "ingredients" we need to strengthen our ranks."

"Excellent."

-X-

"Hello, all! It's Dolly time!" A cheerful voice resounded across some ten thousand or so computer screens as the popular cosplay idol Midori Komaki began streaming a live broadcast. "And with me as always is my partner in crime, Black Frost!"

"Great to be hee-here, hee ho!" Initial reactions to Black Frost had been very negative as Midori's show resumed after the Lockdown, but after the war between angels and demons came to an end, people began to accept demons as a normal part of life, even though most were still despised. Still, there was just something so adorable about Black Frost, with his idealistic banter and simple charm, which had made him an internet sensation. Midori's popularity had skyrocketed since.

"As usual, we are going to start the show with fan requests," Midori enthusiastically explained. "For new viewers, the opening segment is devoted to dressing up exactly as the fans request of me." She paused before resuming her explanation with a cute giggle. "Nothing R-rated, of course. Well, let's begin, Frosty!"

Black Frost clapped his hands excitedly before waddling to a nearby computer. "What is the most popular request on the thread?" Midori asked as Black Frost looked at the screen.

"They want you to dress like a hoe, ho!"

"Err, a hoe, ho?" Midori echoed awkwardly.

"Yes! A hoe, ho! What is a hoe, ho?" Black Frost asked curiously.

"They must mean Santa Clause, or Jolly Old Saint Nicholas!" Midori optimistically attempted to reason. Darting behind a changing screen, she quickly ran out in a fat suit, red velvet adorning her figure, and a hat full of holiday cheer. Black Frost began to clap his hands delighted as Midori fluffed her cotton beard.

"With Christmas just around the corner, remember to be extra good and help those in need!" Midori exclaimed. "And to complete our Christmas-themed requests, Frosty will go from a Jack Frost to Frosty the Snowman!"

"Hee ho!" Black Frost spun around in a circle, snow consuming his figure until his legs and torso were very round and voluptuous. His head poked out of his "costume" with a look of surprise.

"That's so cute!" Midori gushed, though her demonic partner did not seem to share the same sentiment.

"Hee-help!" He squeaked. "I can't move, ho!" Black Frost attempted to flail his arms from within the snow. Midori gasped and rushed to help him, slipping on some snow and knocking the frozen shell apart as she fell over Black Frost.

"I'm sorry!" She apologized sincerely as she helped him to his feet, almost falling down herself at the sheer weight of the demon.

"Ho, ho! Thanks for not being slow!" Black Frost graciously took her hand and got up.

"It's no trouble at all," Midori smiled. "And now, I'd like to talk to all of my fans about the crisis we have found ourselves in recently." There was almost a visible intake of breaths from around the world at this statement; it was practically a taboo subject.

"Y'know, we're living in some bad times…but let's face it. There's always gonna be bad times. It doesn't matter what period of history you're in; bad things happen. Do you know what's most important?" She cupped her hand around her ear as if waiting for a response. She beamed as she sat upright. "That's right! Love and justice!"

"Love and justice, ho?" Black Frost eagerly exclaimed.

"That's right, Frosty! With love and justice, you can do anything! The bad times will become good and everybody will help everybody!"

Black Frost jumped with joy and Midori gasped in alarm as it began snowing above them. "Oops! Sorry, I got carried away, hee hee!"

"It's okay!" Midori brushed the powder off her shoulders and head as she beamed into the webcam. "It just goes to show you that love and justice is really…cool!"

-X-

Keisuke Takagi snorted behind the set from Midori's show. "Cool? I thought we agreed no more lame puns…" He muttered, but he was smiling nonetheless. His ideals and morals had been thrown into disarray during the Lockdown, causing him to commit atrocities that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Yet, for the first time in a long time, he was happy. He smiled as he watched Midori sit Frosty down and begin telling him and her audience a story, cosplaying the characters herself with amazing grace and speed. She would make a wonderful mother someday.

-X-

"Well, that's all the time we have today," Midori exclaimed as she threw off her princess costume, revealing surprisingly ordinary clothes underneath. Black Frost, who had been playing with a pair of hand puppets, looked up with great sadness.

"It's the end…hee?"

"Oh, Frosty," Midori hugged Black Frost close to her chest as she smiled into the webcam. "As long as there is love and justice, it is never the end!" And just like that, the show was over.

-X-

"Keisuke!" Midori exclaimed, rushing towards him as soon as the cam shut off. He still wore the same black-framed glasses that he had worn during the Lockdown, but as he was now a full-time college student studying to be a lawyer, he was almost always wearing a suit, rather than a polo. Despite this, he had no qualms about wrinkling it in order to catch her in his arms.

"Your show was great," Keisuke smiled as he peered down at her. Despite the hardships, four years had only served to enhance her natural beauty. She kept her hair shorter than she had during the Lockdown, but her body had become so feminine that it was hardly a wonder that her more perverted fans were hoping she would become a sex symbol on the net. Unbeknownst to them, she already had a boyfriend, a fact that Keisuke never took for granted as he kissed her deeply.

After a long embrace, she pulled away from him with a slight blush on her face. "C'mon," she grabbed his hand. "Let's go out and get something to eat! I'm starving!"

"As you wish, "Dolly,"" Keisuke acquiesced with a grin.

Midori playfully punched Keisuke in the shoulder as she ran ahead of him. "Don't be a jerk!" She called at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Keisuke laughed as he looked back behind him. "Let's go, Frosty!"

"Coming!" Black Frost ran after the couple. _Is Frosty a roommate or a pet_? Keisuke silently mused as the demon eagerly caught up with Midori. As he began stepping after his girlfriend and favorite demon, a tap on his shoulder startled him and he wheeled around in shock.

A hooded figure stood before him, dressed in a black cloak with a white mask concealing the face. _Doesn't seem to be a member of the __Shomonkai… _Keisuke thought cautiously, _but I wouldn't be surprised to learn there's another demon-worshiping cult on the rise._

"Can I help you?" Keisuke asked politely, though he carefully shifted his position so he had space to charge or retreat depending on this stranger's intentions. By now, Black Frost and Midori had come running to Keisuke's side and faced this character suspiciously.

"Please don't be alarmed. I'm not an enemy," the stranger said. The gender was impossible to discern; the voice was being carefully filtered and distorted through a mechanical contraption hidden in the mask.

"Who are you?" Keisuke asked.

"You may know me as 10BIT."

"Atsuro's internet friend?" Midori whispered to Keisuke who nodded.

"I have come to deliver you a warning," 10BIT explained.

"A warning?" Midori echoed curiously.

"Yes. The Almighty Darkness has been recruited by an even greater darkness. Remember this well."

"Wait a second!" Keisuke yelled, but the stranger took off running. "Weird," he frowned, shifting his glasses dubiously.

"The Almighty Darkness?" Midori clutched her chest painfully. "Was that guy referring to Lucifer?"

"It sounds like it…" Keisuke frowned troubled. "But an even greater darkness…just how far has Kazuya fallen?"

* * *

**Author's Note: I have wanted to do a Shin Megami Tensei story for a long time, but no story ideas really caught my interest. I read an extremely well-crafted fanfiction for Final Fantasy X called "The Gunslinger" by Nataku's Wrath that inspired me to try to create a piece of that quality. This series will be my attempt at that as I explore the aftermath of Naoya's route in Devil Survivor. Meaningful reviews and critiques are appreciated!**

**Crow**


	2. A Cold Christmas

**Chapter 2: A Cold Christmas**

_How much time had passed since he had looked into her eyes? The same red orbs that had always watched him in admiration now stared back at him with an unwavering fear that cut into his heart like a dagger as he stepped towards her. _

"_Yuzu…it's been a while…" _

"_Six months," she said automatically, though she continued backing up. What had he expected? She had never gone with his decision to become the Overlord. She wasn't a true friend like Atsuro…so why did her attempts to retreat hurt him so damn much?_

"_I would have hoped that you would have changed your mind after all this time…" _

"_Kazuya, you're waging war with GOD!" She exclaimed angrily. "You aren't even human anymore. You're nothing more than the Anti-Christ." _

_He placed his arms on both sides of Yuzu as he pinned her against a wall. Staring into her eyes, he saw his reflection for the first time since the war began. The very lines in his figure seemed distorted, like shadowy wisps that could be blown away like a fragile insect. His eyes had lost the warmth and confidence that had made him such a charismatic figure to friends and strangers alike. Just what had he become? _

"_It's still me," he whispered as he leaned forward. Her gaze softened and she bit down on her lip. _

"_I know it's you," she whispered back. "I know…I just…I don't know anything anymore!" _

"_Yuzu, everything I've done…it's meaningless if you aren't at my side."_

"_Don't say that," Yuzu begged. "Don't you dare say that…"_

"_I love you," he leaned in, his breath tickling her lips with a moist and fevered passion. "I've always loved you and I need you. With you by my side, I'll overthrow God and give you the whole world."_

"_And I've always loved you," Yuzu whispered. As he caressed her strawberry hair tenderly, she realized that perhaps something human existed within him after all. No monster could make a girl feel this much like a princess. "Kiss me, Kazuya…"_

_He hesitated and held her face with his hands. They were rough but not unpleasant to her. "Are you sure? If we kiss now, there's no going back." _

_She leaned forward and kissed him._

-X-

Though the air was chilly enough to nip at Keisuke's bare skin, he had no desire to leave his bed on Christmas Day. The first snowflakes had begun to fall around midnight, and by the time his eyes first began to flutter open, a fine white powder blanketed Tokyo. He smiled at the peacefully snoring girl whose face was buried against his chest, her glasses resting beside his on the night stand in the accustomed position. Could it be possible that the Lockdown had been the best thing to ever happen to him?

"Mmm, Merry Christmas," Midori sleepily murmured as she nuzzled Keisuke, her eyes still closed.

"Merry Christmas," Keisuke replied with a peck on her cheek. He ran his fingers through her hair as she finally opened her eyes. She looked down at herself for a moment, then down at Keisuke, before jumping out of bed as red as a beat.

"Ohmygawd, ohmygawd, ohmygawd! Did we really fall asleep naked?" She asked breathlessly, her eyes growing dizzy from the implications.

Keisuke could not resist laughing out loud. Her innocence and simple-mindedness were a few of the qualities he liked so much about her. Even though they had made love several times over the course of their relationship, she was completely freaked out at the thought that they were already comfortable falling asleep together in their birthday suits. Well, it was pretty new for him too…

"Don't laugh at me!" Midori pouted, but all was forgiven as he kissed her hand with a smile.

"Let's get dressed and go out," Keisuke suggested. "We've gotta make sure the homeless can get some love and justice on Christmas too!"

"And that's why I love you."

-X-

"Merry Christmas, Kazuya!" This celebratory greeting came from Atsuro Kihara, one of Kazuya's closest friends and most trusted advisors. Sometimes referred to as the left hand of the Overlord, he had not changed very much since the end of the Lockdown. His black hair had grown a little longer and wilder, and his eyes now had pronounced shadows underneath them, but otherwise, he was relatively unchanged. To accompany the frigid weather conditions, he was bundled in his blue hoodie, brushing fresh powder off his cap as Kazuya walked past him. "It's freezing out there!"

"We've been over this, Atsuro," Kazuya scowled, "Christmas is a holiday reserved for God's followers."

"Don't be a wet blanket." Atsuro puffed his lips out in disappointment. "It doesn't matter what the original cause of celebration was; everyone needs a reason to raise their spirits."

"I'm already in high spirits," Kazuya replied. "Let's go talk to Naoya."

"Why are you in high spirits?" Atsuro chased after Kazuya. The Overlord raised a finger to his lips for silence as they appeared before Naoya. Kazuya's cousin was sitting in the middle of a small circle that consisted of three people, though the other two appeared as nothing more than dark silhouettes. A demon hovered in the center, shaped like a teardrop and as blue as the sea. It had a joyous smile on its face as the trio began calling out numbers.

"6,300!" A female voice exclaimed. A number flashed above the demon and its smile widened as her competitors began upping her.

"6,700!" Came the voice of a burly sounding male.

"7,700," Naoya calmly offered. The other two competitors paused for a moment before continuing.

"7,800!"

"8,300!"

"9,999," Naoya said firmly. "Do you fools really expect to compete with the Overlord over this?" The other bidders heaved a great sigh before waving the white flag of forfeiture.

"Why in the hell do you still have to bid over demons?" Atsuro exclaimed outraged. "I thought all of the demons were supposed to be under your command!"

"Some demons are rather…unique," Kazuya replied. "Particularly the demons that are one of a kind. I have to go through a lot of trouble to pull them under my command."

"But the Mitama aren't unique," Atsuro argued.

"Foolish Atsuro," Naoya drawled as he smugly stepped before them with the blue demon perched on his shoulder. "Mitama are very unique! There just happen to be a lot of them."

"I need a better explanation than that," Atsuro sighed. "Why do we have to bid for Mitama?"

"To put it into terms you can comprehend, think of demons like computer programs," Naoya explained. "If normal demons carry out their standard processes, Mitama can be seen in several ways in relation. They are either upgrades or they are viruses. It all depends on how effectively you use them."

"Of course!" Atsuro grew excited. "They have the power to completely reroute the demons' characteristics!"

"Exactly," Naoya grinned. "They are demonic potential incarnate; to call them ordinary demons is an insult to them and people like me bidding on them."

"But doesn't the fact that there are other people bidding on them mean that there is a loophole in Kazuya being the Overlord?" Atsuro frowned.

Naoya chuckled. "The only bidders remaining are Demon Tamers from the Lockdown with some leftover Macca and unique demons who have currently pledged allegiance to no one. The Demon Tamers will run out of Macca quickly enough and the unique demons will eventually become our allies as we continue strengthening our forces. Our plans are already guaranteed to be successful, Atsuro. At this point, time is our only enemy. "

"Enough talk," Kazuya said impatiently with a gleam in his eye. "Lucifer!" Atsuro swore as the King of Hell swooped down in front of them.

"I never get used to that!" He complained.

Lucifer chuckled as he landed in front of Kazuya. "You have certainly grown, my child, as I have seen first-hand."

"You know," Atsuro interrupted, "I have never understood why he always refers to you as "his child." There isn't much of a family resemblance between you."

"Hold your tongue, peon," Lucifer commanded. Atsuro looked outraged, but he shut his mouth nonetheless at the power in Lucifer's voice. "My child has fulfilled all of the conditions necessary to command me, and I will obey his word without complaint. Do not ever believe that I hold you in the same esteem."

"Father," Kazuya said, causing Atsuro to spin around in shock, "it's dinnertime."

"Ahh," Lucifer grinned as he feasted his eyes on the Nigi Mitama. "And you are certain?"

Naoya snapped his fingers and more Nigi Mitama appeared. "Does this answer your question?" He asked.

"Impressive," Lucifer chuckled. "Then let the banquet begin." Atsuro grimaced as the Tyrant snatched one out of the air and clamped his jaws together. A high pitched squeal penetrated the air, but the other Mitamas appeared oblivious to the fate that awaited them. They pleasantly floated around the beast, and one by one, they were devoured.

"I think Lucifer's maxed out," Naoya commented as Lucifer began to flap his wings above the few remaining Mitamas.

"Wh-what happened to his muscles?" Atsuro asked. Though Lucifer was still in peak condition, there was no doubt that his muscle mass had noticeably decreased.

"That's the tradeoff," Naoya explained. "He sacrificed some of his physical prowess so that his magic could reach its full potential." As Lucifer let loose a roar of triumph far above them, a shockwave echoed throughout the Tower of Babel. Atsuro was knocked from his feet as numerous lesser demons were destroyed by the sheer power in Lucifer's voice.

"Excellent," Kazuya clenched his fist together triumphantly with a savage grin. He looked down at Atsuro who was still lying on the ground.

As Atsuro looked up at Kazuya, Lucifer towered over the Overlord. Kazuya held out his hand which Atsuro reluctantly gripped, still feeling the aura of the monster that his best friend had made his underling.

"Merry Christmas, Atsuro."

-X-

"Merry Christmas and God bless!" Midori waved as a toothless old man cheerily whistled a catchy tune, exiting the shelter with patched hat in hand after downing two bowls of soup that Midori offered him. The homeless had been pouring in for the last few hours, but as the sun started to descend, they began to shuffle out, leaving Midori and Keisuke to clean up with a handful of helpers.

Keisuke shot his girlfriend a strange look as he began to rinse out the pot they had been scooping food out of. "Even after all we've been through, you still say things like "God bless?" Your faith astounds me."

"Maybe so…" Midori threw her hair back as she joined Keisuke, fearful that her hair would get wet from the splashing water. "But Daddy always told me that our God was a God of justice."

"That same God would have let you die if we hadn't come to save you," Keisuke reminded her.

"But you did come to save me," Midori smiled. "You were my guardian angels."

Keisuke shuddered as the memory of numerous angels slaughtering would-be runaways and demons alike came flooding back to him. "Please don't ever call me an angel again," he said seriously. Midori seemed to read his mind and she continued to wash the dishes with Keisuke in silence.

"Keisuke," she finally said after a long moment, "do you think I'm naïve?"

"Huh?"

"I asked you if you think I'm naïve. Do I come off as a stupid, naïve, idealistic girl that can't distinguish fantasy from reality?"

Keisuke watched her disbelievingly as her tone grew increasingly aggressive. "Why would I love you if I felt that way?" He asked.

"Because the way I am is the way you'll never be," Midori said seriously. "We went through the same Lockdown together, yet I was the only one that came out with my faith in God intact. I believe in the goodness that I can't always see, while you believe in what you have seen."

"What is justice?" Keisuke asked.

Midori raised an eyebrow. "I don't know…something that got really confusing during the Lockdown."

"I believe in justice," Keisuke said thoughtfully. "Even though I really haven't ever seen true justice, I believe in it. I know it exists; I can feel it in my heart. As for God, angels, demons, devils, I have seen with my own eyes that all of these things are real. It's not that I don't believe in them; I just subscribe to the doctrine of true justice, and none of these beings are worthy representatives for my faith."

Midori bowed her head ashamed. "That…actually makes a lot of sense…"

"I don't think you're naïve," Keisuke looked into Midori's eyes with true sincerity. "I think you are innocent, and that innocence is the only cure for my guilt-ridden heart."

"Keisuke…"

"Come on," Keisuke said with a smile. "Let's finish helping everyone, and then we can go celebrate Christmas together."

-X-

"Kazuya, I thought you'd like some wine," Atsuro said softly. Kazuya was standing at the summit of the Tower of Babel, staring thousands of feet down towards a ground that he couldn't see. Looking closely, Atsuro realized that Kazuya was listening to music once again, drowning out the sounds of reality with symphonies of emotion that his face could no longer express. As snowflakes flurried around them, Atsuro watched his friend for several minutes, the glasses of wine in his hand becoming mixed with little frozen drops of precipitation.

"Here." Atsuro jumped in surprise as Naoya stepped out from behind him and wrapped a blanket around Kazuya with surprising sympathy. "Even for the Overlord, you should take better care of yourself."

"Naoya…" Atsuro looked at his mentor in awe, but Kazuya was still fixated on the ground.

"It's interesting," he muttered. "All the way down there is Tokyo, and even further below that is Hell."

"God is even higher up than we are," Atsuro reminded him.

"Which means he has further to fall," Naoya retorted nastily.

Kazuya ignored the two and continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. "How did Hell find its way up here…?" He whispered bewildered. It was the first time in a while that he had seemed so vulnerable. So…human.

Naoya exchanged a glance with Atsuro before he swiped the glasses and pressed one into his cousin's palm. "Cheers," he said, tapping his glass against Kazuya's.

"Cheers," the Overlord repeated, downing the sparkling white wine as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

-X-

_He saw the attack coming long before it actually happened. The silhouette of the warrior angel hung in the air, and though he was finally embracing his beloved, he knew that his enemy was present. Did he now have a sixth sense? Perhaps a third eye that his demonic conversion had granted him? Or maybe there was a tiny song that seemed to accompany the presence of the Power. Whatever the reason was, he knew and sprang to his feet in anticipation. _

"_Back for more?" He snarled. Yuzu fell on her backside with a surprised squeal as he stared up at the skies. _

"_Kazuya, what are you doing?" She asked, rubbing her bottom as she got to her feet. _

"_Be quiet," he whispered as he peered through the clouds. _

"_Be quiet?" Yuzu exclaimed incredulously. "Don't think that you can order me around like that!" _

"_Yuzu, please…" he begged, but Yuzu shook her head fiercely. _

"_I was an idiot to think you might be the same Kazuya I knew," she said sadly as she turned her back on him. "I'll see you later, Kazuya." _

_At least she'll be safe, he thought. The first and only time he ever underestimated God._

_A spear shot out of the skies, guided by the angelic force of the creature that wielded it. He extended his palm with flashing eyes, flames licking around his fingers as he gazed at his target. As the spear flickered directly overhead, he released the magic he had built up. _

"_This should be enough to annihilate both your spear and you," he declared. To his great surprise, the spear changed course, dodging his flames in the process. Cocking his head and following the spear's process, he felt his heart sink as he realized its true target._

"_Yuzu!" He screamed. Kazuya wanted to rush towards her and take the hit. Kazuya wanted to concede his fight to God and forfeit all acquired demons in exchange for Yuzu's safety. But he wasn't Kazuya anymore. _

_Abel stood rooted to the ground, watching as the spear impaled Yuzu through the heart. There wasn't even enough time for her to scream…the death was instantaneous. As her corpse slid down the spear to the ground, the dark clouds that were now his eyes cleared up for just that moment, and for the briefest of seconds, he was fully human. _

"_Yuzu?" Kazuya whispered. Why was there such a loud ringing in his ears? His head was splitting open, a pain worse than death assaulting his psyche unrelentingly. A dark force was squeezing his brain in the palm of its hand, but whether that was a literal or figurative reality, Kazuya could not tell anymore as he squeezed his eyes shut. _

"_SHE'S DEAD!" The voice screamed in his ears. "SHE'S DEAD, SHE'S DEAD, SHE'S DEAD!" _

"_Shut up," Kazuya muttered, but the sadistic creature did not relent. _

"_SHE'S DEAD! ALL ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF HUMANITY'S SO-CALLED "GOD!"" _

"_I KNOW!" Kazuya screamed, his eyes bleeding as it felt like needles were penetrating every fragment of his being. The voice stopped for a moment, before a force beyond his imagination wrapped its arms around him._

"_I feel your pain, Kazuya. I feel it as clearly as anything because I am you. I have always been you and you have always been me." _

"_Who are you?" Kazuya asked. _

"_I am Abel," the voice explained. "It was through God's will that I was murdered by my older brother, Cain. God is a plague that has been cursing our world since humans first came to be."_

"_God is a plague…" Kazuya repeated._

"_We are one, Kazuya," Abel said. "Together, we can avenge our losses. The demon YHWH will not escape our wrath."_

"_Yes…YHWH will pay." _

_From the clouds, Power fell to the ground. Kazuya/Abel had been correct; the flames were more than powerful enough to reach and kill the angel. As his body burned from the legs up, he spared a look of pity for the Overlord and uttered an unforgiveable justification. _

"_The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."_

* * *

**Author's Note: I thought I was going to be stumped for how to continue after the first chapter, but the details came surprisingly easy once I started. There is both a physical and a psychological battle in this story that I am doing my best to capture. Part of that struggle lies in the dichotomy of Kazuya and Abel, but to be honest, flashbacks never were my forte. I prefer advancing the storyline using occasional flashbacks to supplement the events. I have been extremely pleased with how much support this story has already received, and I will continue to update it as frequently as I can, though with school about to start, I pray my precious readers will have patience with me.**

**Crow**


	3. Humanity's Liberation

**Chapter 3: Humanity's Liberation **

**In the thousands of years since the dawn of Christianity, there had never been a more chilling Christmas. Not only was Tokyo coated with snow; the entire world experienced a surge of frozen precipitation, including areas in which the very notion of such a phenomenon had previously been declared impossible. At first, the people rejoiced in certainty that their God was extending a hand to them with a miracle forerunning a long list of wonders that would lead to their liberation from the demons. As the holiday came and went, the snow continued to fall and hopes were rapidly dispelled as health deteriorated worldwide. Fear gradually began to replace the magic that was originally associated with the God-given holiday, but was the fear directed towards the Demon Overlord or the Heavenly Father?**

-X-

"Now is the time to take action!" Naoya declared. All eyes in the room focused on him as he stood up and began pacing around the circle. It consisted of Kazuya's advisors, more commonly known to outsiders as the High Counsel.

"Why now?" Asked Mari Mochizuki. She was still quite young and pretty, with her long dark blue hair now falling closely beside her silky smooth thighs, but her cheeks were notably thinner than they had been during the Lockdown. Her left arm had been severed at the elbow in the line of duty, effectively limiting her duties as a nurse and her usefulness to Kazuya, though her perception and maturity still made her an asset to his army.

"Ain't it obvious?" Snapped Tadashi Nikaido, more commonly known to his friends simply as Kaido. "If God's gonna play dirty, so are we!" Out of all the Demon Tamers Kazuya met in the Lockdown, Kaido had physically changed the most. His spikey hair was now in a crew cut, countless scars decorating his body and face. It looked as though he had been clumsily chiseled out of wood, though his sharp eyes instantly identified him to friend and enemy alike. His shoulders were much broader than they had previously been, and he now served as Kazuya's primary hit man.

"Do we really need to act so soon?" Atsuro asked cautiously. "The new year just began a little while ago. Maybe it will stop snowing soon." It was a false hope, everyone knew. YHWH was exploiting His enemy's mortality, regardless of how many innocent lives would also perish.

"…" Yasuyuki Honda had psychologically deteriorated since the aftermath of the Lockdown. His thoughts were now a mystery to everyone, and his actions ranged from calm and stoic to aggressive and frenzied. While his general behaviors had changed, his appearance had not. Now that both his wife and son were dead, he was a man trapped in time, unable to move forward.

"Don't fool yourself, Atsuro," Naoya drawled. "Physical violence was just the start of YHWH's war. Now, He is using any means necessary to kill Kazuya and end his reign."

"But something so extreme just for one person?" Atsuro attempted to reason until Honda chuckled.

"God is nothing if not extreme." Even the most faithful of believers couldn't argue with that.

"Doesn't really matter what we say," Mari pointed out with a coy smile. "Ultimately, we just do whatever Kazuya tells us to."

Everyone turned to Kazuya who was seated in his throne, resting his elbow against the arm of his chair as he cradled his chin in his hand.

"Naoya's right," he said slowly. "We need to take action very soon, but what type of action should it be?"

"Huh?" Kaido asked confused. "The hell are you talkin' about? Let's just attack YHWH!"

"Think about why all of you are my advisors," Kazuya explained. "Why you think I trust your judgment more than the opinions of demons with high intelligence and experience?"

"Because we went through the Lockdown together?" Mari asked uncertainly.

"Because we're friends," Atsuro stated confidently.

"Because we're powerful," Kaido flexed his biceps.

Naoya shook his head at each answer. "It's because we are all human."

"That's right," Kazuya nodded. "You can think of yourselves as representatives for the human race if you'd like. What YHWH calls a "higher purpose" is just an excuse to sacrifice whoever it takes to help Him reach His goals. If we contradict this so-called "higher purpose" with reason that appeals to normal people, we can gain many supporters."

"But what good will supporters do in a war between angels and demons?" Honda pointed out.

"YHWH is the most powerful demon known to man," Kazuya clenched his fist. "There are countless angels by His side, including powerhouses like Anael and Sariel. But we have two advantages that they don't."

"That's right," Naoya took over. "Our first advantage: unique demons."

"Demons like Lucifer and Pazuzu?" Kaido asked. A dry wind entered the room as Pazuzu appeared behind him, watching the scene curiously. Kazuya surveyed the demon king with satisfaction.

"Exactly. All of demonkind is under my command, but I want the demons that have transcended my control and become legends, deities, and gods."

"Which brings me to our second advantage," Naoya interjected. "Demon Tamers."

"Demon Tamers don't exist anymore," Kaido snorted.

"Then what would you call yourself, o master of Pazuzu?" Naoya grinned, a question that shut Kaido up.

"At this point, Demon Tamers as we knew them in the Lockdown are indeed extinct," Kazuya clicked his fingers together impatiently. "All of the demons they purchased with Macca became mine, since no exceptional demons ever offer their services in the Cathedral of Shadows. A few individuals exist with Demon Companions, but no doubt that number is in the single digits."

"Urg, this is pretty hard to follow, even for a geek like me," Atsuro complained. "How does all of this connect?"

"Because Kazuya is now in control of all ordinary demons, it has become a common misconception that the COMP is now just a useless reminder of a painful past most would rather forget," Naoya jumped in as Kazuya slumped back with a weary expression on his face. "But the COMP still allows use of the Harmonizer, contains Macca of the former Tamers, and it grants the user access to forbidden techniques and magic."

Mari gasped as she realized the implications of this ultimate plan. "So by alienating the entire world against YHWH…"

"We'll be hookin' humanity up with COMPs and using them to fight the angels?" Kaido finished aghast.

"How much damage do you think we could get if we multiply a mediocre Agidyne spell by a few billion?" Naoya asked sinisterly.

"My God…" Mari muttered at the sheer implications.

Naoya bared his teeth as he thrust his middle finger up towards the sky. "Not for much longer."

-X-

The radiator hummed gently as Keisuke furrowed his brow in concentration, pencil sliding across paper carefully and deliberately. With the random worldwide blizzard assaulting humanity, it was remarkable that attendance was still mandatory at quite a few universities. While Keisuke should have been very grateful that this particular classroom at Tokyo University had an excellent source of warmth, the heat combined with the pressure of an upper level exam was causing him to perspire at an alarming rate.

_Calm down, Keisuke…you know this_, Keisuke whispered to himself. _Midori helped me study for this. While she was cosplaying. In extremely skimpy lingerie._ Keisuke hoped everyone else was too focused on their own exams to notice the great blush creeping over his face. As the memory vividly returned to him, her sugar-coated lips whispered the main points into his ear seductively. He couldn't help but smile as he began to formulate the answer. He would have to remember this study tactic in the future.

-X-

Midori scrolled through her emails lazily as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Staying up with Keisuke all night had undoubtedly been worth it; he would ace the exam for sure now. Nonetheless, it had resulted in her getting very little sleep which, added with the fierce bite of the new climate, seemed to be taking a toll on her immune system. She rubbed her stomach tenderly as she suddenly felt overcome by dizziness. Dropping her mouse on the floor as she scrambled towards the bathroom, she somehow made it to the toilet in time before vomiting. Gasping, she rubbed the bile from her lips in disgust.

"Glad to have **that** out of my system," she muttered as she flushed the toilet. Pushing herself off her knees, she rinsed off her hands and spent a long few minutes brushing her teeth, topping off her hygienic practice with some much-needed mouthwash. Spitting the last of the grotesque flavor down the drain, she returned to her laptop slightly more cheerful.

_Hmm? An email from Haru?_ Midori clicked the message with interest, but all the singer had typed was "call me." Picking up her phone, Midori scrolled through her contacts quickly before acquiescing to Haru's demand.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end answered tiredly. It sounded as though Haru had a late night as well.

"Hey, Haru! It's Midori!"

"Oh! Sorry, I'm a little brain-dead at the moment," Haru yawned. "It's been a while, so I wanted to catch up and see how you were doing."

"I'm doing great!" Midori exclaimed happily. "My web show is going good, things with Keisuke are amazing–"

"So the sex is great?" Haru interrupted, causing Midori to burn bright red.

"That's…uh, I mean…"

"Relax!" Haru laughed. "I'm only kidding. But I'm glad that you seem to be happy."

"Thanks!" Midori beamed. "How are things with you?"

"Hmm? Oh, things are going smoothly I suppose. One of my songs joined the mainstream radio a few weeks ago so I guess I'm moving out of the indie scene."

"Oh, wowzers! Sounds like you're doing great then!" Midori sounded impressed.

There was a long pause on the other line. "I guess, but there's so much pressure that comes with fame…"

"Like what?" Midori asked curiously. She was semi-famous herself, so Haru was perhaps the one person that could relate with her.

"Well, my old fans feel like I'm selling out," Haru explained with a trace of sadness in her voice. "And I posed nude for a magazine a few days ago, and Gin really went off on me last night…"

Such a bold decision from Haru did not surprise Midori in the slightest, but she had trouble imagining the coolheaded bartender losing his temper. "Are things okay between the two of you?" She asked concerned.

"It'll be fine. It's just…I don't know. He kept telling me that Aya would never have done something so shameful and that I shouldn't have to expose myself to gain fans."

As harsh as Gin sounded, Midori knew Keisuke was of the same mindset. "What did you say?"

Haru paused for a long time, and as she resumed with her voice cracking, Midori knew that she was crying. "I…I told him that just because he sees me as a replacement for Aya…oh, God…"

"Haru?" Midori asked concerned.

"He slapped me across the face," Haru muttered quietly. "He slapped me and ran out of the bar, slamming the door so hard that several bottles fell off the shelves and shattered."

"Is he okay?" Midori whispered. "And are you?"

"I think so," Haru replied, sniffling as she fought to regain her devil-may-care attitude. "I've been with Gin for a really long time and he has never once lost his cool like that. I think I really hurt him…"

"Gin will be okay," Midori reassured Haru with confidence. "He needs you. You just need to give it some time."

"Thanks," Haru said gratefully. "I'm glad we talked. We should keep in touch more often."

"I'm always just a text, email, or phone call away," Midori said cheerfully.

-X-

"Here we go again," muttered Shoji as she headed to work, shielding herself as effectively as an umbrella and two layers of clothes would allow against the cold. Granted, there wasn't any other career that the sharp woman would rather be employed under, but for the veteran journalist who had covered some of the most revolutionary issues of the day and age, work had recently become a chore. Was it because Kazuya now had the world in the palm of his hand that no one wanted to oppose him in print? Or was it because Shoji actually knew him well enough that she was emotionally connected to his reign? Whatever the reason, she had spent the past month assigned to nothing but stories that were normally reserved for the newbies.

"Good morning, chief," Shoji bowed, seemingly with respect, as she entered the head's office.

"Good morning," came the uncomfortable response of Manuke Kusoji, a middle age man who had once had an extramarital affair with his employee. "Today, you are covering the decline in the tourism and entertainment industries of Ikebukuro."

"Oh, give me a break!" Shoji exclaimed angrily. "Even an idiot could deduce that the presence of demons and the ongoing blizzard have both been keeping people in their homes. Give me an actual story!"

A vein in the chief's forehead was visibly pulsing, but he would not berate his subordinate for her disrespect where he would fire most other employees. Blunt and mature as she was, Shoji had blatantly informed him that the world would know of his transgressions if he attempted to silence her voice. She had some real balls to blackmail a former Yakuza…

"There's simply nothing else that is appropriate to talk about," Manuke tried to explain, but Shoji would hear none of it.

"That's bullshit. The worldwide blizzard, the politics of the demon regimen, whispers of another trial the angels have for humanity…there are TONS of stories out there that need to come out!"

The chief stood up as Shoji's voice began to rise excitedly, and for one optimistic moment, Shoji believed that her enthusiasm had infected the despicable man. As he walked past her and locked the door to his office with a key, Shoji's gut instincts began screaming to her.

"You've really been overstepping your bounds lately," Manuke hissed as he turned around and faced Shoji. He stared at her, getting a good look at her for the first time in a long time as she slowly began to back up. A purple suit was wrapped tightly around her body, but it did not hide the frilly pink undershirt, a surprisingly feminine touch. She wore a choker around her neck that resembled a belt buckle and dangled just above her cleavage. More than anything, it was her brownish red eyes that disturbed him, piercing through his soul like a hawk. How dare she fancy herself the predator when she was retreating in **his** office?

"Get out of my way," Shoji's cold voice brought the chief back to reality like a painful slap.

"Not so fast," he drawled as he threw off his overcoat and stood before her. "It's been quite a while since the last time we went at it."

"That was the first and last time," Shoji retorted. "Next time you want to hook up with a girl, make sure she knows you're married first. I'm not your whore."

"You seem to be misunderstanding me. I'm not giving you an option this time." Shoji gasped and dove to the side as Manuke lunged for her, knocking over a stack of unstable magazines in the process. "Get back here!" He exclaimed as Shoji scrambled towards the door.

"Fuck off!" She screamed as she began hammering on the door, but no one would heed her calls. The chief dropped his pants as he approached her slowly, an action that instantly brought a grimace to Shoji's face.

"Don't play games, slut," Manuke grinned terribly as he held his member out to her. "Just swallow what I give you and try to enjoy it."

Shoji swung her heeled foot back behind her and thrust forward with the speed of a car. There was only one target and her aim was true. As he slowly comprehended his fate, the chief unleashed a bloodcurdling scream that brought a chill down the spines of pedestrians as many as three blocks away.

The female journalist stood over her felled oppressor with grim satisfaction. Couldn't really say she had never wanted to do that, but now what? The rest of the journalists were now hammering on the door from the outside, and she was trapped in a room with a comatose eunuch (for all intents and purposes).

"Maybe I shouldn't have done that?" Shoji wondered aloud. As she looked down at her half-naked superior, she shrugged her shoulders. "Nahhh."

_But this is a pickle_, she thought seriously as she looked at her options. They were a few stories up so at the very least, attempting to escape out the window would incapacitate her. But if these people caught her, even if she was proven innocent, her rep would suffer a huge dive.

"Oh, wow! Kazuya told me to come and get you, but I had no idea things were this bad for you!" Shoji cocked her head curiously as a familiar voice entered the room.

"Atsuro?" She asked uncertainly. "Is that you?" She jumped back startled as Atsuro floated up through the window, a few pixies supporting his wiry frame with ease.

"Yup! It's great to see you again!" Atsuro exclaimed eagerly. He swore loudly as the pixies continued flying, causing him to bump his head on the ceiling. "We're inside already! Lemme go, dammit!"

The pixies dropped him to the floor with a painful thump. He rubbed his bottom while cursing crude obscenities, causing Shoji to smile in spite of her grave situation.

"You haven't changed a bit it seems. That's good to see."

"Damn straight!" Atsuro pulled himself to his feet with a forced smile. "Now then, I have a proposal that I think will solve everyone's problems."

-X-

"Keisuke, you aren't gonna believe this…" Midori called to Keisuke who was in the kitchen preparing rice for dinner.

"What won't I believe?" Keisuke asked as he glided into the living room, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend who was seated in front of her laptop as usual. His eyes fell on the top story on the Internet and he immediately released his embrace as the headline jumped out at him. Clicking on the link, he found himself on a blog that had already obtained over 33 million hits in less than 24 hours.

**VOICE: Hear the Overlord's Words**

**Greetings to all my loyal readers. After my boss attempted to rape me, I found salvation and a job opportunity as the Voice of the Overlord. Every Sunday, which has traditionally been celebrated as "the Lord's Day," will be devoted to spreading the word of Kazuya Minegishi, the Overlord of Earth. Before you judge, I beg you, follow this blog and hear his words for yourself. **

**-Shoji-**

**P.S. Manuke Kusoji has now been castrated. You're welcome, women. **

**S: Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to meet with me and discuss your plans for Earth. You really saved my ass. Since this is our first session together, I am going to take things slower than I would normally would. Are you ready?**

**K: Absolutely. Ask me anything.**

**S: First of all, as I am sure my readers will want to know, why did you choose me to be your 'voice?'" **

**K: I chose you because you are the most qualified person for this job. We met during the Tokyo Lockdown and you were able to retain your integrity and morals throughout the entire crisis, all without a COMP. After the Lockdown ended, you continued to pursue and advocate the uncomfortable truth and I decided that I wanted you as my spokesperson. **

**S: And why did you feel the need for a spokesperson?**

**K: YHWH has always had a large following, glorifying his existence without having ever seen Him. I've never desired that type of misguided fame. What I want are followers that are hearing my words, the words of a former human who seeks to liberate them from the angels for good. **

**S: And why do you feel that humans need liberation from angels? **

**K: Anyone who experienced the Lockdown firsthand would know exactly what I am referring to when I speak of the angels' brutality, all in the name of YHWH. They killed anyone who opposed their orders. They allowed Tokyo to be infested with demons, causing people to turn on each other, Demon Tamer street wars, and catastrophes of other natures. The blizzard right now that is assaulting the entire globe is an example of YHWH's cruelty. I may be a demon now, but I still have many human vulnerabilities that he aims to exploit, no matter the cost. I understand that YHWH has been Earth's primary deity for several millennia now, but do we really want a God of such malevolence?**

**S: As I'm sure you know, many people despise demons. It is a common belief that life changed for the worst after their appearance. How would you defend their existence, being the commander of the demon army?**

**K: I'm not going to lie and say life got better after the existence of demons was uncovered. The truth is never as blissful as ignorance, but humanity doesn't deserve to live in darkness, misled by a powerful demon that manipulates them with fear. I make this promise to people: I will not kill you for having different beliefs than me. Humanity does not have to support me, but I was one of you not so long ago. I can sympathize, empathize, and feel genuine pain for the current state of things. Even if no one believes in my sincerity, I am fighting for your liberation. **

**S: Thank you very much for speaking with me today. That's all we have time for; look forward to next Sunday's interview! **

"What do you think of this?" Midori asked breathlessly. Keisuke's eyes were blazing with an intensity that Midori hadn't seen in him since he was using Yama to judge sins in the Lockdown.

"I think I need a drink," Keisuke replied as he reached for a bottle of wine.

"Kazuya and Shoji were both people we knew during the Lockdown…they've established their beliefs pretty clearly…"

"Yeah, and we're over here just trying to lead normal lives," Keisuke laughed as he took a sip.

"Do you think that's wrong?" Midori asked worriedly. "Is Earth's fate our responsibility?"

Keisuke paused carefully, a painful expression on his face. "I don't know what to believe…but there isn't much we can do right now…"

"We've got Frosty!" Midori pointed out with a giggle. Keisuke cocked his head with amusement as the black demon ran around outside cheerfully, singing "Jingle Bells" out of tune at the top of his lungs. Even though Christmas had already ended, his spirit could not be dampened.

"Frosty has better things to do than get involved in a war of ideals," Keisuke said with a wry grin. "And so do we."

Midori smiled contently and kissed Keisuke. "I'm glad to hear you say that. You rest for a bit. I'm gonna go finish up the rice for you."

"Thanks, babe," Keisuke said graciously as Midori headed towards the kitchen. Looking out the window towards Black Frost, Keisuke noticed that a red miasma was beginning to taint the evening sky.

"The world is changing…" he muttered. But even the intelligent law student couldn't decide if the change was for better or worse.

* * *

**Author's Note: I am finally back in the States! School is now in full gear and I have been absurdly busy every day. I finally had a few spare moments to work on fanfiction, and in the spirit of Shin Megami Tensei IV, which I already foresee becoming a 3DS flagship, I decided to update Fall of the Devil Overlord. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend; look forward to the next update! **

**Crow**


	4. Taking Action

**Chapter 4: Taking Action**

**Not even two weeks after the blog VOICE had been released on the Internet, the already great intrigue in the Overlord had skyrocketed to epic proportions. Shoji had established herself as the Overlord's voice, making her a celebrity in her own right, but any and all journalistic mediums were now exploring the enigma that was Kazuya Minegishi. How a kind-hearted high school student with a superb academic record could suddenly become humanity's tyrant. How Kazuya, who performed numerous services for his community with a smile on his face and headphones over his ears, could recruit demons as his "underlings." The general consensus became that he had never changed; that a person so pure still retained a kind heart despite the traditionally dark ascribed role he had undertaken. What a burden! What pressure! As the majority began to favor Kazuya over YHWH, he went from humanity's bane to humanity's champion. **

-X-

Shoji fell out of her bed drowsily, clumsily wrapped in a body bag made up of blankets and her sheets. The blizzard had gotten even worse since interviewing Kazuya the first time, a predictable side effect of YHWH's fury. Hail pelted against Shoji's window, but since becoming internationally renowned, Shoji had no need or desire to leave her house. A Jack Frost would pop in every now and then with some quality groceries, but otherwise, Shoji was quite alone until her next interview with Kazuya.

"Well, this is both exactly where I wanted to be and where I never wanted to be," Shoji muttered out loud. She was undoubtedly considered a top tier reporter now despite the fact that she was using a blog and Kazuya had commissioned her with a sweet paycheck for every entry she posted. That said, she never thought she'd be approaching 40 and still living alone. The last romance she had experienced was with her now impotent ex-boss, as obvious a disaster as any. Even in terms of simple company, it had been several weeks since she had seen another human, excluding Kazuya and Atsuro who hardly qualified in her mind anymore. Even crazy old cat ladies had more company that she did…

BRRRING! BRRRING! Shoji dove for her phone as the obnoxious ringtone penetrated the silence, eager to reacquaint herself with the sound of another's voice, even if it was just a telemarketer.

"Hello?" She breathed into the phone.

"Hola. ¿Eres tu Shoji, la escritora de VOICE?" (Hello. Are you Shoji, the writer of VOICE?) The woman on the other end slowly asked. Shoji closed her eyes for a moment. This woman was speaking Spanish rather than Japanese, but fortunately, Shoji was well-versed in several languages.

"Si," Shoji replied. "¿Y tu quién eres?" (Yes, and who are you?)

"Soy Lorre Gonzales de Argentina," (This is Lorre Gonzales from Argentina) the woman responded. "Dile al Señor Supremo que lo apoyo!" (Tell the Overlord that I support him!) And with that, the woman hung up. Shoji raised an eyebrow but had no sooner hung her phone up before it started vibrating furiously.

"Hello?" Shoji spoke.

"Yo, you speak English?" Her caller asked.

"A little," Shoji responded with a raised eyebrow. "Who is this?"

"This is Jordan Smith from the United States. The Overlord's got the US's support!" And like before, the phone was disconnected before immediately ringing once again.

"What the hell is going on?" Shoji yelled in frustration as she once again picked up the phone.

-X-

Keisuke stood over Midori, looking down at his beloved sympathetically. She was wearing two sweaters and an overcoat, but she was still shivering furiously in her bed. Her eyes were glazed and tissues had been twisted and stuck into each nostril after her nose started dripping blood unpleasantly in the middle of dinner the previous night. She whimpered as she looked up at Keisuke.

"I must look ridiculous right now," she mumbled with a trace of apology in her voice. If Keisuke were more honest, he would have confirmed that, but like an experienced liar, he stooped down and kissed her on the forehead.

"You look beautiful. Don't beat yourself up; this blizzard has been hard on all of us."

"Heroes aren't supposed to get sick," Midori sniffed.

Keisuke chuckled in spite of himself. "Even Superman has his Kryptonite." Midori smiled for a moment until her body convulsed and her eyes grew alarmed. Stumbling past Keisuke, she ran for the toilet, a little vomit splashing on the seat as the rest of her puke dirtied the toilet bowl.

"I'm…I'm so sorry," Midori gasped, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

"Midori, enough!" Keisuke endured the stench and wrapped his sobbing girlfriend into a hug. "You're sick right now; that could happen to anyone!"

Midori whimpered as her boyfriend soothingly massaged her back. "I'm gonna run into town and get some groceries," Keisuke gently informed her. "You stay here; I'm gonna make you the best soup you've ever had."

Midori said nothing as Keisuke kissed her forehead once more and left the bathroom. She heard him shuffling around the bedroom for a while, putting on snow boots, a coat, and a ski mask. She was pretty sure she heard him say, "Take care of her, Frosty," before he gently shut the door behind him. Midori sighed deeply and flushed the toilet. Grabbing a can of air freshener, she emptied its entirety in disgust before picking up her phone.

"Midori!" Haru picked up with delight. "How are you?"

"Terrible," Midori complained. "I'm sick, but that's not all…"

"What's up, girl?" Haru asked concerned. "You can tell me."

"Well…"

-X-

Shoji held out her hands in surrender as Kazuya and Naoya stepped into her apartment. Naoya glanced at her phone in amusement and even Kazuya wore a satisfied smirk on his face. "What's so funny?" Shoji demanded. "All these random strangers suddenly have my phone number!"

"We anticipated something like this happening," Naoya admitted, "but we had no idea it would happen this soon."

"What did you anticipate happening?" Shoji raised an eyebrow.

"People are taking sides," Naoya grinned. "They have grown sick of YHWH's treatment and have decided to side with Kazuya."

"Okay, but how did they get my number?" Shoji asked irritably.

"You're a celebrity now," Naoya pointed out. "And this world is becoming increasingly more corrupt. Anyone with access to knowledge about you will be getting that information out for public scrutiny if it means money or fifteen minutes of fame."

"Meaning that some bastard I know distributed my cell phone number for the world to see?" Shoji's nostrils flared.

"Not just some bastard," Naoya offered a magazine. "Your former boss."

"Manuke? I'm gonna kill that piece of shit," Shoji growled.

"And we will help you," Kazuya said.

Shoji glanced at him in surprise. "Huh?"

"We fully expected things to take this path," Kazuya began to pace, "but all the same, it is unacceptable that anyone does anything that could hurt my friends or allies. We are going to make an example out of Manuke Kusoji for the whole world to see."

"Kazuya, I was just venting…" Shoji attempted to calm the Overlord, but his decision had already been made.

"No, you're my friend," Kazuya comfortingly put his hand on Shoji's shoulder, though the dead gaze in his eyes nearly caused the stoic Shoji to shudder. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Thanks…"

-X-

The High Council once again convened at Kazuya's call; things had finally reached a point of definitive moves. Everyone eyed the Overlord silently; his mind was already set and there was no need for discussion, only orders.

"Shoji's blog has begun to attract a following of citizens that are pledging their allegiance to me," Kazuya began. "She is an extremely perceptive woman and has been writing down each person's name and location before I even told her to do so. Thanks to that, we have the names of a few hundred people that are on my side, and now is the time for us to begin our counterattack against YHWH. I need my orders carried out precisely and I hope you all can help me."

"That's exactly what we're here for," Mari replied.

Naoya nodded in agreement. "Tell us your will."

"Naoya, Atsuro, I have a special assignment for the two of you. I need you to take a group of demons and eliminate Manuke Kusoji gruesomely. It needs to become public news that the Overlord killed this man in retaliation for jeopardizing the safety of his subordinate."

"Wouldn't that alienate people against you?" Atsuro asked cautiously.

"It will for some," Kazuya acknowledged, "but more will be attracted to how much protection I offer for those that loyally serve under me. To be honest, I am more interested in numbers right now than I am in the quality of those numbers. We can afford to turn a few off from my leadership if it means gaining the favor of many times that."

"I…see."

Kazuya continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "After you have taken care of Kusoji, use the demons to take control of the magazine. Don't kill the opposition, but force dissenters home. Anyone that wishes to stay can stay. We need far more people operating phones and computers, collecting information on the people that want to join me. Turn that entire building into a headquarters for my supporters."

"We'll get on it immediately," Naoya responded, grabbing the still-hesitant Atsuro's arm as he made his way towards the door. Kazuya watched the two with a measure of satisfaction for a moment before turning back to the rest of his advisors.

"Mari, I want you to get into contact with Gin. Not only was he a physical powerhouse when he was a Demon Tamer, but even now, he has the unique demon Take-Mikazuchi as his Demon Companion. Recruiting him to our side is one of our top priorities, so offer him anything he wants and constantly remind him of our friendship during the Lockdown."

"I'll do my best," Mari nodded as she too headed for the door. Kaido's body grew tense as she walked past him, clearly interested in accompanying her, but he did not turn his head or make a move to follow her.

"You two have the most important task of all," Kazuya eyed Kaido and Honda with shining eyes. "Kaido, I think you will find this bit of information especially interesting. Take-Mikazuchi isn't the only unique demon we know of out there…"

-X-

Misaki Izuna walked down the streets with her hands stuffed into her coat pockets. Her face was being buffeted by hail, but she didn't even care. The blizzard just distracted anyone walking by from the tears that were rolling down her face. That fucking Gigolo…he was a demon. A fucking _demon_! She had sex with a demon!

The memory of that day was humiliating in itself; it had been the first time in a while that she had sex with anyone, and her first random hookup ever. They had gone at it for several hours and she had felt pretty good about herself, until as he kissed her, his face contorted, fangs extending against her cheek and breaking skin. As she pulled away in shock, his skin had turned green like the bile she felt building up inside her…his eyes had turned red and his breath smelled like rotten fish. "Maybe I should eat out again," he leered as he opened his mouth completely, pulling her arm towards it. She screamed and punched him across the face, causing him to let go of her arm and allowing her to scramble away from him. His high pitched laughter followed her for several blocks until she finally made it home. If YHWH had begun his blizzard at that time, she would have surely died from pneumonia. Nonetheless, she sincerely wished she was dead.

"Violated…I've been violated," Izuna whimpered as she felt her stomach in disgust. And now, there was an abomination growing inside her…how could this have happened?

"Izuna! Is that you?"

Izuna turned her head in surprise, hearing a familiar voice that was hardly visible through the snow and tears.

"Keisuke?" She asked in surprise.

"It is you!" Keisuke ran up to her with a slight smile on his face. "Let's talk for a minute; it's been a while!"

"It has…I suppose we can go in there," Izuna pointed to a nearby café. Keisuke followed her, several bags of groceries in his arms. He placed them below the table as the two sat down, shaking the snow off their bodies. A disheveled-looking waiter appeared genuinely surprised to see that the café was once again occupied and handed them a menu.

"Welcome. Here are your menus."

"Not necessary," Keisuke raised his hand. "I'd like a cup of coffee please. Three sugars."

"Very well. And you, ma'am?"

"Hot chocolate."

As the waiter left to prepare the order, Keisuke scrutinized Izuna with an air of nostalgia. "Wow, it really has been a while though. I haven't seen you since the Lockdown."

"Humph, I haven't seen anyone since the Lockdown except for Commander Fushimi…and even that is about to change."

"How come?" Keisuke asked surprised.

"Well…I was officially discharged today," Izuna bitterly responded. "I am no longer a member of the Special Defense Force."

"Why?"

"Because I am now pregnant."

"Oh…" Keisuke turned away awkwardly, not sure how to respond. His first reaction would have been "congratulations," but this was clearly not a sentiment that Izuna shared. As a matter of fact…he had never seen anyone that looked more miserable.

"Yeah, it's a pretty shitty situation," Izuna sighed. As the waiter set down their drinks on the table, she poured the steaming liquid down her throat instantly. "Ahh, that's better."

"Well, what are you going to do from here on out?" Keisuke looked at her carefully.

"I honestly have no idea…" Izuna gripped her head with her hands, a headache coming on. "What would you do if you found out that you were going to conceive a monster?"

"You mean the child is going to be a bastard?"

Izuna hesitated for a long moment. "Yes."

"Hmm…well, I don't know your circumstances," Keisuke slowly replied, "but I would try to keep it and be a good father to it."

"You're so young though; can you be sure about that?" Izuna asked him.

Something in Keisuke seemed to flicker and he saw Midori sitting in bed with a truly beautiful smile on her face, a baby resting against her bosom, lips pressed against the tiny head and a hand extended out to Keisuke. He grinned as he escaped his fantasy and looked Izuna straight in the eyes.

"I'm absolutely positive."

"I see," she replied with a small smile. It looked as if a great burden had just been alleviated. "Then I suppose I will do my best to be a good mother to this baby, regardless of what may come of it."

"I wish you luck, Izuna," Keisuke smiled with sincerity. "Can I have your number? It's been far too long since we've seen each other and I'm sure Midori would love to see you again too."

"Sure." Izuna and Keisuke swapped numbers as the snow continued to pelt the café. Keisuke stood up after downing his coffee.

"I'm really sorry to cut things early, but I need to go. Midori's waiting on me to make her some soup."

"Well, best of luck," Izuna extended her hand. Keisuke embraced it before picking up his bags and rushing out. Izuna watched his back for a moment before rubbing her belly unconsciously.

-X-

"Well, thanks for talking to me, Haru," Midori spoke into the phone with a smile on her face. "I will definitely tell Keisuke."

"Keisuke is a great person," Haru praised. "I can promise you that things between you two will be fine."

"I know they will…hey, I think I hear him knocking right now," Midori perked up as she heard some rapping on the door. "I'll talk to you later, Haru!"

"Get better, Midori! Kisses," Haru replied affectionately, making a smooch sound into the phone. Midori giggled and imitated the noise before hanging up. She rushed for the door with a giggle, suddenly happier than she had been in a while. That disappeared as soon as she opened the door.

Two men stood at the entrance with several demons behind them. Though it had been several years since she had seen them, she recognized them immediately. Kaido and Honda…even during the Lockdown they were always teaming up. Kaido looked extremely different, a brutish thug now in comparison to the charismatic gang leader he once was. Honda on the other hand was unchanged, a fact that creeped her out as much as anything.

"W-what are you two doing here?" She asked.

"We're here to take Black Frost back with us," Honda replied.

Black Frost heard his name and waddled into the room happily until he saw the dismay and fear on Midori's face.

"What do you want with Frosty?" Midori demanded.

"Kazuya wants all demons by his side," Kaido pulled out a knife. "And that includes him." Midori wasn't sure why, but she felt a fury hidden beneath Kaido's calm exterior that unnerved her.

"No, please…Frosty is family now," Midori begged. "You can't take him away from us."

"I can do whatever I want and you aren't going to stop us," Kaido snarled.

"W-wha?" Midori recoiled.

"Don't fuck around with me. Your little boyfriend is the one that was killing off my crew during the Lockdown, wasn't he?"

"But…but that's…"

"I don't want to hear it. Hand over Black Frost and we'll leave you unharmed."

"You should do what he says," Honda warned her. "He's in a terrible mood."

"I don't care!" Midori exclaimed angrily. "Keisuke did some terrible things in the past, but he's changed! Don't do this!" She screamed in pain as Kaido swept his knife in front of him, scoring a nick on her arm.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Kaido growled as he licked Midori's blood off the blade. "We're not leaving until we get Black Frost. Whether you're alive or dead for that, it doesn't matter to me."

"Midori!" Black Frost ran to Midori's side concerned. "Don't you hee-hurt her!"

Kaido and Honda exchanged a glance. "Well, this saves us some trouble," Kaido snapped his fingers. An ominous wind blew behind Kaido, preceding the arrival of Pazuzu. As the demon lord appeared, Black Frost tripped on his feet and fell down nervously.

"See, it's a wuss," Kaido laughed. "I don't know why Kazuya is so interested in Black Frost. It's only _just _unique."

"You shut up!" Kaido blinked as Midori's hand slapped him across the face. "Frosty is amazing! You just don't understand him!"

Kaido stared at the floor for a long moment, disbelief evident on his face as he slowly shifted his gaze on Midori. "Bitch," Kaido enunciated with his teeth bared, "did you just strike me?"

"Get out," Midori whispered. "Get out of my house right now."

"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Kaido screamed furiously. "I'm gonna kill you!"

Before he could make another move, Honda had appeared beside Midori, lifting her up by the neck and slamming her against the wall, expelling her through the next room. Midori screamed as her spine fractured, blood gushing out of her arms and marking the floor as she rolled across the ground painfully.

"Honda…what the hell?" Kaido asked weakly.

"You talk too much," Honda breathed, his eyes dancing around maniacally. "We're just here for Black Frost. If you don't have the balls to kill Midori, then I'll do it right now and be done with it." He picked Midori up by her hair and threw her back into the ground roughly.

"Midori!" Black Frost screamed. "Bufu!" Ice formed around Honda, but he kicked through it ruthlessly.

"Pitiful," Honda walked straight over to Black Frost and kicked him in the face, causing the demon to fall over painfully.

"Midori's down for the count," Kaido muttered. "Let's just take Black Frost and leave."

"Fine," Honda relented. Black Frost was struggling to get up, but one blow from Pazuzu was enough to knock him out for good. As Kaido and Honda loaded him into Pazuzu's arms, the two made their way out the door with the demons in tow.

-X-

Keisuke made his way towards his home whistling a cheery tune. The blizzard had grown even stronger, but it could not dampen his spirits. He had good food, a good home, and he had just reconnected with an old acquaintance. Nothing could go wrong now!

The suspicious group gathered near his home instantly made him reconsider that optimistic perspective. He couldn't see them perfectly from where he was standing, but there was clearly an enormous demon among them. Keisuke was tempted to stick back and observe, but he snapped out of his cautious mode instantly. "Midori!" He cursed violently as he rushed home.

-X-

"You stop right there!" Honda and Kaido turned around irritably to find Midori miraculously standing, breathing roughly with her arm lying limply at her side. Her hair was frazzled and her glasses were barely dangling on the bridge of her nose, but her eyes were ablaze with passion.

"Just stay down," Kaido groaned. "We don't have time for you."

"No! Daddy…Daddy said that a hero that doesn't protect special people isn't a hero at all! Frosty is special to me. You can't take him!"

"Honda, you take Black Frost," Kaido eyed Midori. "I'll take care of her."

"Humph…" Honda took Black Frost with his remaining demons, leaving Pazuzu behind with Kaido. Midori desperately broke after Honda's crew, but found her route ruthlessly blocked off by Kaido.

"You ain't goin' anywhere," Kaido growled. "Lay down right now or I'll kill you."

"Please…" Midori panted. The snow was still bombarding her ruthlessly; she was not at all dressed for the vicious weather, and Kaido observed her concerned as she broke into a coughing fit.

"Get inside," Kaido commanded with a trace of pity in his voice. "You are in no condition to be out here."

"No…" Midori blinked back the tears as she shook her head viciously. "What would Keisuke say…?"

"MIDORI!" Kaido and Midori both wheeled around as Keisuke appeared at the top of a hill out of breath.

"Keisuke?" Midori's heart raced in both joy and panic. "What are you doing here?"

"Midori, we have to get away!" Keisuke yelled, but Kaido grinned wickedly.

"You're the glasses bastard that was killing off my men! I didn't really want to hurt the girl, but as for you…this is personal!"

"Shit!" Keisuke dove to the side as Pazuzu struck towards him. A gust of wind followed the blow, lifting Keisuke off the ground and hurling him into the snow with a painful thump.

"Keisuke!" Midori yelled towards Keisuke. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Kaido and Pazuzu.

"It's okay!" Keisuke yelled against the howl of the wind and snow. "It's okay, I've got you!" Midori's weight suddenly vanished as a scream penetrated the night air.

Keisuke stared at his hand, still gripped around Midori's now-severed hand. Looking into the snow, he saw Midori had fallen to her knees, screaming as blood spouted from the stump that was her arm.

"MIDORI!" Keisuke screamed desperately as he ran back towards her. Pazuzu flapped his wings and the wind viciously assaulted Keisuke's body, scoring cut after cut on his already battered frame, but all he could think of was saving Midori.

"Hmm…I see now…I understand," Kaido mumbled. "If that's how it is…say goodbye. Pazuzu!" Pazuzu flapped his wings powerfully, generating a small tornado that lifted up and separated Keisuke and Midori. Keisuke thrust out his hand towards Midori even as he twisted around in the air, but as he did so, Kaido appeared before Midori in the eye of the storm. Flipping his knife open, Kaido brought the blade down on Midori's chest. Keisuke screamed at the top of his lungs as a splatter of gore joined the chaos and the tornado was enveloped by a miasma as red as blood.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hmm, no time for fanfiction anymore! It's killing me, and against my better judgment, I went ham on this chapter so I could satisfy my writing lust for the week. Part of the reason I've been so busy is because for the last month and a half, I've been involved in a poetry slam at my college. The finals end on Tuesday night (October 22) and I am one of five contenders who has reached that point. Prizes for that round range from $100 to $1000, so I would appreciate a prayer or two! After that ends, hopefully I'll have just a little bit more time for fanfiction, so until next time, adieu! **

**Crow**


	5. Path of Justice

**Chapter 5: Path of Justice**

"W-who the hell are you?" Manuke Kusoji stumbled backwards as Naoya swept past the frightened employees who were huddled in their respective cubicles, a large Wendigo stalking ahead of him. Atsuro peeked over his elder's shoulder cautiously as their target attempted to put as much distance between them as he could.

"This the guy?" Atsuro asked. "You can totally tell he doesn't have any balls!"

"Indeed," Naoya smirked. "Well, let's get this over with." Turning to the other employees, Naoya raised his hands into the air with so much power, the collective corporation shirked even further. "Listen up, everyone; that man has committed a grave offense against the Overlord. He sold out one of the Overlord's subordinates. Kazuya is tolerant of a difference in beliefs, but when you try to harm those that are important to him, there are consequences. For treason against the Overlord, Manuke Kusoji shall be put to death."

"Oh God…" Manuke moaned. "Someone help me…please, someone…"

"Shut your mouth," Naoya snarled as he moved forward.

"Please, I'm begging you..."

"You compromised the safety of the Overlord's Voice!" Naoya eyed Manuke with disdain. "How much money was the woman's security worth?"

"Security?" Manuke dropped his jaw incredulously. "This was never about money…that bitch…she made a fool out of me! She made me less of a man! Why would your almighty Overlord support someone like that?!"

"You tried to rape her," Atsuro growled accusingly, but Manuke brushed him off.

"Nonsense! What do you know about Shoji? We had fucked long before our little incident and she loved it. She's the kind of woman that always craves a nice, hard –"

Whatever he was planning to say next was cut off quickly as Atsuro punched him across the face with full force, toppling the pathetic chief in surprise. Naoya's mouth widened as he watched the scene with amusement.

"My, my, Atsuro," he chuckled. "Save some for the demons." Atsuro stepped back in acquiescence, breathing heavily as he nodded.

"No, please…" Manuke begged, but Atsuro turned his back in disgust.

"Get 'em, boys."

-X-

Midori's body dropped to the ground like a rag doll as Kaido and Pazuzu stepped out of the tornado. Kaido looked over his shoulder with an emotionless expression as Keisuke hit the ground beside his girlfriend.

"Serves you right," Kaido muttered to Keisuke vindictively.

Keisuke looked up at Kaido, the pupils in his eyes nearly gone, obscured by a hazy rage that somehow made the pain in his chest seem less real. He was on the verge of passing out; he had broken at least five or six ribs, but as he coughed up some blood, he sucked it up into one concentrated dose and spat on Kaido's leg.

"I will never forgive you," Keisuke promised as sweat dripped down his face, each word a painful declaration. "If you don't kill me right now…I will hunt you down, and I will take everything you hold dear."

"Humph," Kaido turned his back with a sneer. "Feel free to try. I have finally gotten my vengeance. Enjoy the rest of your life and always remember that your sins are what killed her."

Keisuke dug his nails into the dirt with a dry sob as Kaido and Pazuzu disappeared. Maybe he was right…maybe Keisuke deserved this pain…but Midori sure as hell didn't! He glanced towards his girlfriend, her skin as white as a ghost, as though someone had applied several layers of flour to her face before placing her desecrated corpse beside him.

Forcing himself upright with his elbows, Keisuke desperately began dragging himself along the ground towards her. His heart was throbbing against his broken chest as the skin of his arms began to peel, eroding against the earth, blistering. The pain was nothing though; it could not conquer him.

As he drew close to Midori, Keisuke slipped on the slimy blood pouring out of her arm. The output was significantly less than it had been at the moment of her severing, but there was still enough life fluid inside her body to puddle the immediate vicinity with red.

Coming up before Midori, Keisuke looked down at her face. Her eyes were slightly open, the lights in her beautiful orbs extinguished in a way that made her look hypnotized. Dirt and specks of blood matted her pasty white face and her lips almost seemed purple. Keisuke moved one wild bang out of her face, staring at his murdered love with an infinite amount of regret. Propping himself over her, Keisuke gently kissed her cold and lifeless lips before the tears freely began flowing from his eyes and spilling onto Midori's face.

"Why…why?" He choked as the gravity of his loss sank in. "Why, why, why?"

His head was very clear, but the world around him was spinning at light speed, the colors of reality becoming distorted and merging into a sickly gray. As the universe began to rotate faster and faster, Keisuke's eyes went blank and he finally collapsed on the ground beside Midori, his hand gripped around hers for dear life.

-X-

"Welcome back, Honda," Kazuya smiled as his assassin came in with the unconscious Black Frost still in the hands of several demons. Honda said nothing as he led his minions towards an anti-magic cage, where they carelessly tossed the captured demon.

"Were there any problems?" Kazuya asked.

"Not really," Honda replied smoothly. "Kaido was going berserk when I left him, but I'm sure you were aware that would happen."

"Very perceptive," Kazuya chuckled. "I knew that Keisuke's dirty little secret would rile him up."

"But what do you have planned?" Honda asked with an eyebrow raised. "I would have slaughtered them all myself, but you clearly wanted something to be done that had no use for me."

"I didn't mean to offend you," Kazuya apologized, "but you are absolutely right. I want to see how things will unfold between Keisuke and Kaido. If things go as I plan, we might have an incredibly powerful ally joining us soon."

Honda turned towards the exit with a shrug. "Do what you will, but be careful. Next time, I might not be able to control myself when I snap. I might slaughter everyone and disrupt your plans…"

As he walked away, Kazuya watched Honda with narrowed eyes. "What a clever bastard…"

-X-

Keisuke's eyes fluttered open alarmingly as a pang of agony shot throughout his body. He was sprawled out uncomfortably in a stiff bed, his shirtless torso wrapped in many bandages. As he gingerly slid his fingers underneath his wrappings, he felt a very long trail of stitches. _I've already had surgery? How long have I been out? _Keisuke thought anxiously. _Midori!_

"Hey…" Keisuke croaked weakly. "Hey! Where's Midori?" His voice grew a little stronger as he began to cry out, "Where's Midori? Midori! I know you bastards can hear me! Where the hell is Midori?"

An anxious-looking nurse rushed into the hospital room in alarm. "Please sir, there are other patients –"

"Where the hell is Midori?" Keisuke demanded, throwing his blankets against the wall as he attempted to get out of bed. "Midori!"

The nurse watched him as an incredible amount of sympathy made its way to her face. Keisuke could see tears gathering in her eyes as she watched him struggle, and that merely served to fuel his rage. Lifting her up by the collar, he began to yell. "You know where Midori is! Where the hell is she? Answer me, Goddammit!"

"She was…cremated two days ago. I'm sorry…you missed her funeral."

"You…you're lying. Stop lying to me you stupid bitch!" Keisuke screamed. The nurse stumbled backwards and ran away terrified as Keisuke collapsed back into his bed sobbing uncontrollably. _It's over…my whole life is over._

"Please calm down, Keisuke. Midori would have hated to see you like this…" A gentle voice full of pain slowly brought Keisuke's head up. Looking towards the entrance, he saw Haru and Gin standing together, a bouquet of flowers in Haru's arm. "For you," she offered.

Keisuke accepted them somewhat reluctantly, setting them inside a vase that was conveniently placed on top of a nearby table. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Who do you think found you and brought you here?" Gin replied as he reached for a pack of cigarettes, selecting a particularly seductive smoke. Haru slapped the thin stick out of his hand reproachfully.

"No smoking in the hospital!"

"My bad," Gin heaved a great sigh as he picked the cigarette up off the ground, dusting it off carefully before putting it back in his pocket. "It's an involuntary reaction; I need my smokes when I'm under stress."

"I understand," Keisuke said with utter sincerity. Though he himself was not a smoker, he would do anything at this point to forget the heavy pain in his heart.

"Keisuke," Haru took a seat in his bed and wrapped her arms around him, "we are so sorry…"

"…" What could Keisuke say to that? This wasn't one of those moments where he could brush it off as no big deal. He looked down bitterly refusing to look into the eyes of another human being; he had never been so vulnerable in his entire life.

He started as Gin slapped his hand on Keisuke's shoulder and gripped it comfortably. "It's okay," he muttered, his tone low. "You don't need to put on an act in front of us."

Keisuke bit down on his lower lip but the tears were flowing once again. "I…I loved her. How am I supposed to live with myself? I couldn't protect her…I couldn't do anything for her…"

Haru and Gin exchanged a glance. "You should probably take this one," Haru stood up and walked away. "I'll be back in a little bit with some snacks."

"Thanks," Gin called after her. "Look, Keisuke, I know how you feel. No, trust me," Gin hastily stuck his hand up for silence as Keisuke attempted to protest. "I do. My lover Aya was taken from me…at least you attempted to defend your woman. I didn't even go that far…"

"Gin…"

"Oh, don't get me wrong: I'm not trying to get your pity," Gin laughed slightly. "But that's the reason I'm talking to you right now. I know how it feels to lose the woman you care for the most in this world. It's a really shitty feeling, and even after all these years, I still miss her with every last fiber of my being."

"So things are never going to get better for me?" Keisuke desperately looked around. "Midori…I want Midori…"

"I know you do, buddy," Gin placed his arm around Keisuke's neck. "And yes, things are going to be bad for a while, but even if she was your whole world, there're other people that can slowly try to build you back up."

"What do you mean?" Keisuke asked, his mind a blank. Someone that could replace Midori? Unthinkable.

"Well, I got a job bartending," Gin said as he pulled out a cigarette. "I'm really sorry; do you mind?"

"Go for it," Keisuke said as he opened the window. Gin lit up and breathed a dirty cloud of smoke out in ecstasy.

"Sorry about that; I really needed this…now, where was I?"

"Bartending."

"Ah! Bartending," Gin affirmed nostalgically. "So I met a lot of people, some good, most drunks, and they started to fill up the emptiness in my life. I took in Haru and had a sense of responsibility and purpose that started to give me hope for the future. There is still a void in my life and not a day goes by that I don't think about Aya, but it is getting better and there is plenty left in life to live for."

"I understand what you're saying…but I just need to be alone right now…" Keisuke muttered.

Gin nodded sympathetically and smothered his cigarette against the wall before flicking it out the window. "I understand. Just…we're here for you. Even if it doesn't feel like you have anyone you can talk to, Haru and I are both going to be here for you so talk to us if you need anything."

"Thanks, Gin…"

Gin nodded once more and stepped out of Keisuke's room before almost bumping into Haru.

"He wants to be alone right now," Gin warned her.

Haru shifted her gaze downward. "I have something extremely important I need to tell him. I'm not going to put it off."

"He doesn't need any more to take in!" Gin berated her, but she shook her head.

"I have to tell him, Gin…he deserves to know and if I don't tell him now, I'll never have the heart to tell him that…Midori was pregnant…"

-X-

"It would appear that for the most part, we had a successful day today," Naoya declared as he looked around the High Council. "We took care of Manuke Kusoji and were able to keep most of personnel on payroll. Now, Shoji will be able to write as the head of her old job and all the other employees can keep track of the Overlord's supporters and enemies."

"We need people that can speak multiple languages," Kazuya tapped his hand against the table impatiently. "We need to focus on recruiting translators. I don't want any calls going through that we can't understand. We've been lucky that some of our staff know enough to write down accurate information, but we don't want any screw-ups."

"Duly noted," Naoya replied. "Mari was able to make contact with Gin, but he has not given a solid answer as to his intentions. He is a potential wild card in this war; we need to keep a close eye on him. And we finally captured Black Frost and are beginning the brainwashing process. Soon, he will be another loyal soldier."

"Whatever that's worth," Kaido rolled his eyes. "That demon is an utter weakling."

"You underestimate his worth," Kazuya hissed. "Black Frost followed me into the underworld and helped me successfully conquer all of demonkind. He is docile under improper care, but he can be quite an efficient ally."

Kaido snorted disbelievingly. "I'll take your word for it."

"Regardless of your opinion, things are going well for us," Kazuya lifted his headphones and placed them snuggly over his ears. "We are going to wait to see more results of VOICE; once we have an idea of who my supporters are and who my enemies are, we'll get to work distributing Comps and expanding our Demon Tamer ranks."

"Would it even be accurate to call them Demon Tamers?" Mari asked coyly.

"Fair enough," Kazuya conceded. "We'll just refer to them as "Spell Casters." "Demon Tamer" is a title reserved for those that wield demons in battle."

"What's the point in gettin' technical?" Kaido grumbled.

"Don't complain," Honda chuckled. "You're the only Demon Tamer among us anyway, seeing as you are the only one of us with a Demon Companion."

"Humph."

"We need more unique demons," Kazuya frowned. "That's where we've been having difficulty...recruiting those with Demon Companions is essential."

Atsuro glanced at Kaido before turning back to Kazuya. "Didn't we figure out that it is easier to attract a Demon Companion if you have a Comp?"

"We did," Kazuya confirmed. "At least, that had been our theory."

"Your theory was correct," Naoya grinned with some degree of pride. "Jot that down as another one of the Harmonizer's effects. It harmonizes your very soul to be more compatible with a demon's wavelength."

"So theoretically, once we've distributed Comps out to my supporters, the odds of recruiting unique demons will shoot up?" Kazuya turned to Naoya once more.

"Theoretically…yes."

"Then that is what we're going to do," Kazuya gritted his teeth. "The time is almost here; the revolution is about to begin."

-X-

"W-what do you mean Midori was pregnant?" Keisuke gaped.

Haru brought her hand to her mouth in shame, but nodded remorsefully. "It's true…we had been talking on the phone for about a month and she…told me just a few days ago. The day she died actually…"

"She…there's no way…" Keisuke tried piecing it all together. It couldn't possibly make sense…but even as he thought that, he remembered all the little things. Midori's nose bleeds, her vomiting, her illness that he had entirely attributed to a flu, all the signs had been there…

"She had just decided that she was going to tell you…" Haru whispered sadly. "She was confused for a while, but she decided that she was excited at the thought of having a baby with you…"

"And…" Keisuke swallowed painfully, "the baby died too?"

"Yeah…she was only a few months in…"

"Fuck…" Keisuke didn't think he had anymore tears left to cry, but sure enough, they poured out plentifully. "FUCK!"

"Keisuke…" Gin squeezed Haru's hand concerned as they embraced Keisuke.

"I would have been a daddy," Keisuke sobbed. "I would have been a fucking daddy with Midori…we would have been a family!"

Gin shot Haru a warning look and she nodded understandingly. "I'm really sorry to lay that on you Keisuke…but you needed to know the truth."

"We're going to go and let this sink in," Gin muttered, but it was clear at this point that Keisuke wasn't listening anymore. "We'll come and check on you tomorrow…try to get some sleep."

As Gin and Haru shut the door behind them, Keisuke balled his hand into a fist, squeezing until his skin was rupturing and leaking blood.

"Things need to change. These fucking demons have ruined everything…I'm going to wipe them all off from the face of the planet."

_But would Midori like that?_ Keisuke asked himself.

"Of course she would! This reign of demons is not justice! It is nothing but chaos and destruction! People are finding their very lives at risk every day simply because Kazuya came to power!"

_So what is the solution?_

"I'm gonna overthrow Kazuya," Keisuke declared aloud with resolve. "I'm gonna restore YHWH to the throne and bring this world back to normal."

Keisuke heard the nearby table vibrate furiously and noted that it was his Comp. "Huh…haven't used that in a while," Keisuke muttered as he picked it up. Looking at the sender, he scratched his head confused. "Who is this "M" person?"

**From M**

**Subject (No title)**

**Son of man, you who have decried the Overlord have given the Lord hope that mankind may yet be redeemed. Should you forsake and revolt against the new order, you shall receive the Lord's blessing in this war against the Overlord. Find a soulful symphony to combat the silent darkness. Until the day that the Angels can be of further assistance. **

"Huh…is this really from an angel?" Keisuke muttered. As he attempted to delete the message, it could not be expunged from the Comp's memory. "Whatever…" Keisuke muttered. "I'll think about this later." But as Keisuke closed his eyes, he knew which path he would take.

"Justice is order."

-X-

Kazuya looked over Tokyo as Lucifer soared across the skies, king of his domain. As Kazuya peered down at tiny abandoned buildings, he smirked. Abandoned dreams, abandoned fake ideals, abandoned social hierarchies. The entire establishment had proven itself a drain on human potential and the only proper path was to crush it. The truth was so obvious.

"Justice is chaos."

* * *

**Author's Note: In regards to my poetry competition, I ended up claiming fifth place; not as good as I would have liked, but I was satisfied with two of my three poems so I made a good run for it. One of my poems was actually about the tale of Abel and Cain; slam poetry towards God from Cain's perspective. It was a really worthwhile experience and with it under my belt, I'm going to resume my focus on fanfiction and school. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**

**Crow**


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